A Narrative in the Documents: The Gibbs Affair

Interesting narratives that are interwoven into Columbia University’s history can unravel simply by creating an online inventory for a collection. Recently, a series of letters was discovered within the Columbia College Papers that elucidate past events involving administrative prejudice, academic politics, and the Civil War. After James Renwick, Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy and […]

Read More…

ONLINE EXHIBIT– “1968: Columbia in Crisis”

  The occupation of five buildings in April 1968 marked a sea change in the relationships among Columbia University administration, its faculty, its student body, and its neighbors.  Featuring documents, photographs, and audio from the University Archives, 1968: Columbia in Crisis examines the causes, actions, and aftermath of a protest that captivated the campus, the […]

Read More…

Amelia Earhart’s Adventurous Side

Carrie E. Hintz Archivist Alright, so the images here are a bit fuzzy– but what they show is a young Amelia Earhart (1897-1937) perched on top of the domed roof of Columbia’s Low Library. Earhart attended Columbia University’s School of General Studies from 1919-1920 (and again, briefly, in the spring of 1925) intending to go […]

Read More…

Royal Connections…

Jocelyn K. Wilk Public Services Archivist This past March, I was asked to entertain a group of visitors from The Royal Oak Foundation – the American supporters of The National Trust of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The National Trust is one of the world’s largest and most progressive conservation organizations. These guests were on […]

Read More…